Unit 1 Geography

Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)SS8G1: The student will describe

Georgia with regard to physical features and location.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

What is Geography? Geography – the

science of studying the earth.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

Latitude – parallel lines that run east and west, but measure north and south locations on the earth’s surface.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

Longitude – meridian lines that run north and south, but measure east and west locations on the earth’s surface.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

Both the Equator and Prime Meridian are used to divide the earth into hemispheres.

Hemispheres – two halves of a sphere.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

Quick Geography Review/Quiz 1. How many continents are on the earth’s surface? 2. What continent is the state of Georgia located in? 3. What nation is Georgia apart of? 4. What are the major lines of latitude and longitude

and what do they do? Hint: multiple answers 5. How many hemispheres are there? 6. What hemisphere is the state of Georgia located in?

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

What region is the state of Georgia located in within the United States?

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

What is a region?A region is the basic unit of

study in geography.

Georgia’s 5 physiographic regions:

1) The Appalachian Plateau

2) The Ridge & Valley Region

3) The Blue Ridge Region

4) The Piedmont Plateau

5) The Coastal Plain

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

Appalachian Plateau: Smallest of the

regions It is a maze of

limestone caves, deep canyons, and interesting rock formations

Far northwestern corner of the state

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

Ridge and Valley: Has low open valleys

and narrow ridges that run parallel to the valleys.

Forests & pastures dominate the region, but there are flat and fertile farmlands.

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

Blue Ridge Region: Known for its rugged

beauty Located in

northeastern GA The highest and

largest group of mountains in Georgia is in this region

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

Blue Ridge (cont.): Brasstown

Bald, the highest peak in the state, is located in this region. (Almost 5000 ft. high)

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

Piedmont: Begins in the

mountain foothills of GA and goes to the central part of the state

This granite-based landform makes up about 1/3 of the state’s land area.

About ½ of the state’s population lives in the Piedmont region

SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

The Coastal Plain: Largest region, occupies

three-fifths of the state It is the major

agricultural region of the state, with soil that varies from limestone to clay.

The Coastal Plain region is separated from the Piedmont Plateau by a natural boundary known as the Fall Line.

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

The Fall Line Separates the Piedmont

and Coastal plain a boundary about 20

miles wide that runs across Georgia.

Called Fall Line due to its many water falls.

Major Cities along Fall Line:

1. Augusta 2. Macon 3. Columbus 4. Milledgeville

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

Okefenokee Swamp Located in the

southeast corner of Georgia

It is the largest swamp in North America. (Almost covers 700 miles)

Home to more than 400 species of animals.

Became the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in 1937

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

Appalachian Mountains Southernmost part of

the Appalachian Mountains are the Blue Ridge Mountains.

GA’s highest and wettest areas (over 80 inches of annual rainfall)

Appalachian Mountains (cont.)

The crest (top) of the mountains form the Continental Divide.

Divides the direction in which rivers drain

West flowing rivers empty into the Gulf of Mexico

East flowing rivers empty into the Atlantic Ocean

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

Chattahoochee River Begins in the Blue Ridge

Mountains Flows southwest

towards Alabama and into the Gulf of Mexico

Important for Georgians for:

1. Drinking Water 2. hydroelectric power 3. recreation

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

Savannah River Natural boundary

between Georgia and South Carolina

Flows southeast into the Atlantic Ocean

Important for Georgians for:

1. Drinking Water 2. hydroelectric

power 3. recreation

c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

Barrier Islands Barrier islands are

found along nearly the entire eastern seaboard of United States.

They protect the mainland from storms.

Important for tourism, fishing, and paper production

d. Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development.

Weather – The day to day change of the earth’s atmosphere in regard to temperature, moisture, wind velocity and pressure.

Climate – the average of weather patterns measured over a long period of time.

1. Georgia’s climate can be described as mild, temperate, or humid subtropical.

2. Winters in Georgia are cool while summers are warm to hot.

3. Both the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions have longer and hotter summers because of their location near/in between the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Georgia's climate varies from the forested elevations of the mountains to the Coastal Plain beaches. It is generally temperate, and is influenced by Georgia's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico as well as wintertime blasts of cold Arctic air coming southward from Canada.

GA County Questions Directions: Use page 602 in your textbook to help you answer

the following questions on a sheet of paper.

1. How many counties are there in Georgia?

2. Identify the county in which you live in.

3. Identify each county that borders the Atlantic Ocean and list them.

4. Identify the counties of Georgia that border Florida and list them.

5. Which counties share more than one state border? Which states do these counties touch?